Pesto

Large handful of mint

Large handful of cilantro

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

24 fresh large bay scallops, washed, and dried

salt and pepper

Pasta

1 pound of fusilli (corkscrew) pasta

2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons balsamic glaze (optional) Trader Joe’s has a great one.

In a mini food processor, place the pesto ingredients and pulse until a combined. Reserve half of the pesto for the pasta.

Lightly salt and pepper the scallops. In a bowl, add the remaining half of the pesto mixture to the scallops and marinate for 10 minutes to several hours.

Prepare BBQ, or in a large skillet, add some olive oil over medium high heat. Cook the scallops until cooked through – 4-5 minutes. Remove. Meanwhile cook the pasta in boiling salted water until cooked. Drain and add back to pan. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese, and taste for seasoning.

Arrange the pasta on a plate and place the scallops on top. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the scallops and pasta and serve.

Salmon with Lemon and Fresh Herbal Butter

This is the usual stand-by way I prepare salmon for the BBQ. It’s easy and delicious. Cooking on aluminum foil makes for an easy clean up. You can also broil the salmon on the foil on a cookie sheet in the oven. I like to serve this with Couscous Pilaf with Vegetables.

Serves 6

6 tablespoons butter

2 cloves minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons of an assortment of chopped fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley, dill, mint)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

juice of one lemon

Salmon

In a small saucepan, add all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Allow to cool.

Wash and dry salmon. Cut a piece of foil larger than your salmon piece and crimp along all of the edges forming a pan. Place the salmon skin side down on foil and lightly salt and pepper. Drizzle the lemon butter mixture over salmon and BBQ until cooked. Don’t worry that the bottom of the salmon looks burnt.

To serve, take a spatula and loosen salmon from skin and serve. The skin stays on the foil and you can just throw it all away and have no clean up!